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Items of Note from the Northwest Public Power Association
Control Your Narrative: What to Say (or Not Say) to the Media – May 13, 2024, Salt Lake City.
Do you really know what it takes to be interviewed in today’s digital world? From what to do when a customer, or “concerned citizen,” puts a cellphone in your face and hits record, to how to control the narrative of a traditional media interview, to how to survive the “gotcha” questions we all fear!
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Surge in
Electricity Demand Poses Tricky Path Ahead for PNW Utilities, Report Shows
(Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
Puget Sound Energy
May Turn Off Power in Parts of Washington to Prevent Wildfires This Year
(KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
Artificial
Intelligence Could Drive a Natural Gas Boom as Power Companies Face Surging
Electricity Demand (CNBC)
Fish Are Shrinking
Around the World. Here’s Why Scientists Are Worried. (Washington Post, Paywall
Advisory)
Globe Records Its
Hottest April on Record, with Subtle Signs of a Shift (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/globe-warmest-april-11-months
News Highlights (See
Stories Below)
1. Surge
in Electricity Demand Poses Tricky Path Ahead for PNW Utilities, Report Shows
2. Puget
Sound Energy May Turn Off Power in Parts of Washington to Prevent Wildfires
This Year
3. Power,
Phones, Cable - Recent Utility Vandalism Impacts Residents in Kitsap, King
Counties
4. How
Attacks on Energy Substations Play into the Hands of Extremists
5. Oregon
Utilities Promote Wildfire Season Awareness by Issuing Advisory to Prepare Now
6. Puget
Sound Energy Customers Now Paying More as Rate Hike Takes Effect
7. WA
State: Company Aiming to Build Fusion Power Plant Near Malaga Visiting Site
8. Wyoming-Based
Earth Work Solutions to Begin Work on $10 Million Nuclear Reactor Project
9. Arizona:
FERC Denies Permit for Big Canyon Pumped Hydropower Project
10. The
Klamath River’s Iron Gate Comes Down, One Scoop at a Time
11. REC
Silicon to Ship Polysilicon from Moses Lake Plant in the Second Quarter
12. San Juan
Islands: Floating Tidal Energy Turbine Company to Make Waves in U.S. Waters:
‘This Milestone Underlines Growing Global Appetite’
13. South
Tahoe PUD Receives Approval for Massive Solar Project; Energy Production Set to
Start 2025
14. Community
Choice Aggregators Band Together to Receive Power from the First-Ever
California Floating Offshore Wind Project
15. The
Growing Clean Energy Backlog, in Five Charts
16. Fish Are
Shrinking Around the World. Here’s Why Scientists Are Worried.
17. WA State:
System Malfunction Leads to Deaths Of 1 Million Salmon at Skagit County
Hatchery
18. New Report
Highlights Bonneville Power Administration’s Fish & Wildlife Program’s
Achievements
19. 2024
Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Season begins in Columbia & Snake Rivers
20. Goats
Airlifted from Olympic Peninsula to North Cascades Are Mysteriously Dying, Per
Tulalip Tribes
21. Globe
Records Its Hottest April on Record, with Subtle Signs of a Shift
22. Climate
Change Supercharged the Pacific Northwest Heat Dome
23. The
Multimillion-Dollar Fight Over WA’s Cap-And-Invest Program
24. Montana
Public Service Commission Extends Comment Deadline for Climate Petition
25. Internet
Connectivity — Even in 2024 — Is Vulnerable at a Number of Levels
26. Affordable
Connectivity Program Expiring: What This Means for Millions of Americans’
Internet Access
27. Artificial
Intelligence Could Drive a Natural Gas Boom as Power Companies Face Surging
Electricity Demand
28. States
Rethink Data Centers as ‘Electricity Hogs’ Strain the Grid
29. Tesla Won
the Electric Vehicle Charging Race. So, Why’s It Gutting Its Supercharger Team?
30. Montana:
City of Missoula Pursuing Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan
31. China
Makes Cheap Electric Vehicles. Why Can’t American Shoppers Buy Them?
32. How
Electric Vehicles Became So Polarized
33. Possible
TikTok Ban Could Be ‘An Extinction-Level Event’ for the Creator Economy
34. 5 Ways
Introverts Can Better Network in Person & Virtually
35. Voters May
Get a Say on the Future of Natural Gas in Washington
36. Southern
California Public Power Authority Names Daniel Garcia as Executive Director
37. News
Release: Energy Northwest’s Board of Directors Elects Outside Director, Adds
Cowlitz PUD to Membership
38. News
Release: Pacific Power Names Ryan Flynn as New President
39. News
Release: Rocky Mountain Power Names Dick Garlish as New President
40. The Inland
Northwest Could Burn Again: Potential for More Wildfires Highlights Need for
Safety, Preventative Measures
41. Sierra
Nevada Records Snowiest Day of the Season from Brief But Potent California
Storm
42. Editorial:
Forecast Is Clear - WA Must Boldly Pursue New Green Energy Sources
43. Commentary:
The Many Consequences of Breaching the Snake River Dams
44. Editorial:
Keeping Powerful Secrets
Word of the Day – The Putrid Prose Edition
Troglodyte \TROG-luh-dyte\ Noun - 1: a member of any of various peoples who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves 2: a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes.
Troglodyte, troglodyte; come into the
light.
Your cave is dark and damp.
But the future is bright.
Energy & Utility
Issues
1.
Surge in Electricity Demand Poses Tricky Path
Ahead for PNW Utilities, Report Shows (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
2.
Puget Sound Energy May Turn Off Power in Parts of
Washington to Prevent Wildfires This Year (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
3.
Power, Phones, Cable - Recent Utility Vandalism
Impacts Residents in Kitsap, King Counties (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/3959307/recent-utility-vandalism-impacts-residents-kitsap-king-counties/
4.
How Attacks on Energy Substations Play into the Hands
of Extremists (High Country News, Paonia, CO)
https://www.hcn.org/issues/56-5/how-attacks-on-energy-substations-play-into-the-hands-of-extremists/
5.
Oregon Utilities Promote Wildfire Season
Awareness by Issuing Advisory to Prepare Now (Cottage Grove Sentinel, OR)
6.
Puget Sound Energy Customers Now Paying More as
Rate Hike Takes Effect (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/3959044/puget-sound-energy-customers-now-paying-more-rate-hike-takes-effect/
7.
WA State: Company Aiming to Build Fusion Power
Plant Near Malaga Visiting Site (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/company-aiming-to-build-fusion-power-plant-near-malaga-visiting-site/
8.
Wyoming-Based Earth Work Solutions to Begin Work
on $10 Million Nuclear Reactor Project (Cowboy State Daily)
9.
Arizona: FERC Denies Permit for Big Canyon Pumped
Hydropower Project (Navajo Times, Window Rock, AZ)
https://navajotimes.com/reznews/ferc-denies-permit-for-big-canyon-project/
10.
The Klamath River’s Iron Gate Comes Down, One
Scoop at a Time (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/05/klamath-river-iron-gate-dam-removal/?utm_medium=email
Renewable Energy & Self
Storage
11.
REC Silicon to Ship Polysilicon from Moses Lake Plant
in the Second Quarter (PV Tech)
https://www.pv-tech.org/rec-silicon-to-ship-polysilicon-from-moses-lake-plant-in-q2/
12.
San Juan Islands: Floating Tidal Energy Turbine
Company to Make Waves in U.S. Waters: ‘This Milestone Underlines Growing Global
Appetite’ (MSN)
13.
South Tahoe PUD Receives Approval for Massive
Solar Project; Energy Production Set to Start 2025 (Tahoe Daily Tribune, South
Lake Tahoe, CA)
14.
Community Choice Aggregators Band Together to
Receive Power from the First-Ever California Floating Offshore Wind Project
(Wind Power Engineering)
15.
The Growing Clean Energy Backlog, in Five Charts
(Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/transmission/the-growing-clean-energy-backlog-in-five-charts
Fish & Wildlife
16.
Fish Are Shrinking Around the World. Here’s Why
Scientists Are Worried. (Washington Post, Paywall Advisory)
17.
WA State: System Malfunction Leads to Deaths Of
1 Million Salmon at Skagit County Hatchery (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
18.
New Report Highlights Bonneville Power
Administration’s Fish & Wildlife Program’s Achievements (Bonneville Power
Administration)
19.
2024 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Season
begins in Columbia & Snake Rivers (Elkhorn Media Group, LaGrande, OR)
20.
Goats Airlifted from Olympic Peninsula to North
Cascades Are Mysteriously Dying, Per Tulalip Tribes (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle,
WA)
Climate Change
Sequestration Vault
21.
Globe Records Its Hottest April on Record, with Subtle
Signs of a Shift (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/globe-warmest-april-11-months
22.
Climate Change Supercharged the Pacific Northwest
Heat Dome (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/stories/climate-change-supercharged-the-northwest-heat-dome
23.
The Multimillion-Dollar Fight Over WA’s Cap-And-Invest
Program (Crosscut Seattle)
24.
Montana Public Service Commission Extends
Comment Deadline for Climate Petition (The Daily Montanan, Kalispell, MT)
London Calling
–Telecommunications
25.
Internet Connectivity — Even in 2024 — Is
Vulnerable at a Number of Levels (National Public Radio)
26.
Affordable Connectivity Program Expiring: What
This Means for Millions of Americans’ Internet Access (Forbes Magazine)
Beam Me Up, Scotty - The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
27.
Artificial Intelligence Could Drive a Natural
Gas Boom as Power Companies Face Surging Electricity Demand (CNBC)
28.
States Rethink Data Centers as ‘Electricity Hogs’
Strain the Grid (Minnesota Reformer)
I Sing the Car Electric
29.
Tesla Won the Electric Vehicle Charging Race. So,
Why’s It Gutting Its Supercharger Team? (Canary Media)
30.
Montana: City of Missoula Pursuing Electric
Vehicle Infrastructure Plan (Missoula Current)
https://missoulacurrent.com/electric-vehicle-infrastructure/
31.
China Makes Cheap Electric Vehicles. Why Can’t American
Shoppers Buy Them? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/06/china-electric-vehicles-us-market-tariffs/
32.
How Electric Vehicles Became So Polarized (Washington
Post, Paywall Advisory)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-evs-became-so-polarized/ar-BB1lTxdL
Public Relations,
Marketing & Media
33.
Possible TikTok Ban Could Be ‘An
Extinction-Level Event’ for the Creator Economy (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/06/tiktok-ban-creator-economy-influencer/
34.
5 Ways Introverts Can Better Network in Person &
Virtually (Forbes Magazine)
Management - Politics - Governance
35.
Voters May Get a Say on the Future of Natural
Gas in Washington (Washington State Standard)
People & Places in Energy
36.
Southern California Public Power Authority Names
Daniel Garcia as Executive Director (American Public Power Association)
37.
News Release: Energy Northwest’s Board of
Directors Elects Outside Director, Adds Cowlitz PUD to Membership (Energy
Northwest)
https://www.energy-northwest.com/whoweare/news-and-info/Pages/Governing-Boards-Update.aspx
38.
News Release: Pacific Power Names Ryan Flynn as New
President (Pacific Power)
https://www.pacificpower.net/about/newsroom/news-releases/PP-names-new-president.html
39.
News Release: Rocky Mountain Power Names Dick
Garlish as New President (Rocky Mountain Power)
https://www.rockymountainpower.net/about/newsroom/news-releases/RMP-names-new-president.html
Other Things to Know
About Today
40.
The Inland Northwest Could Burn Again: Potential
for More Wildfires Highlights Need for Safety, Preventative Measures (Spokesman-Review,
Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/may/02/the-inland-northwest-could-burn-again-potential-fo/
41.
Sierra Nevada Records Snowiest Day of the Season
from Brief But Potent California Storm (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/sierra-nevada-records-snowiest-day-202026189.html
Soapbox Serenade – Vox
Populi
42.
Editorial: Forecast Is Clear - WA Must Boldly
Pursue New Green Energy Sources (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
43.
Commentary: The Many Consequences of Breaching the
Snake River Dams (Mountain States Policy Center)
https://www.mountainstatespolicy.org/the-many-consequences-of-breaching-the-snake-river-dams
44.
Editorial: Keeping Powerful Secrets (Capital
Press – Paywall Advisory)
Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions
University of Houston
Blowing Off NFL’s Cease-And-Desist About Oilers-Like Uniform: ‘We’re Doing It’
Jar Jar Binks Actor
Says His ‘Career Began & Ended’ with Hated ‘Star Wars’ Role
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jar-jar-binks-actor-says-170845255.html
Ken Doll, Dora the Explorer
Top List of Odd Sewer Finds
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/03/Severn-Trent-sewer-finds/1051714751072/
‘Kittens’ Brought to
Animal Rescue Were Baby Foxes
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/02/kittens-Arizona-Humane-Society-fox-kits/2521714672500/
Song of the Day
Max Steiner – The
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ffxOyazGhk
Links & Paywall Advisory
Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.
Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.
